How To Grow Your Geek: Parenting and More! » Special Topics

HTGYG Show #79: “Despicable Me” and some voicemails!

susiethegeek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:54:15 +0000

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*SPOILER ALERT*

The kids and I present a review/summary of the movie “Despicable Me,” and encourage you all to go see it! It was a thoroughly enjoyable movie for kids and adults, and well worth a visit to the theater – which is saying a lot, considering our family usually waits for everything on Netflix!

Then, we have a few voicemails from Lizzie, Tim and Wyatt, and then I urge everyone to visit the Parsec Awards site to check our our newly posted list of finalists! These are some of the best offerings out there in speculative fiction podcasting!

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my voicemail number at 206-202-7309 and leave your thoughts. You can also visit our forum at the Farpoint Forums. And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: Parsec Finalists: Variant Frequencies and The Babylon Podcast

HTGYG Show #77: Voicemails – Recycling and Gaming

susiethegeek — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:39:19 +0000

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Happy Independence Day to the U.S.! I hope folks had a great holiday weekend! We have a number of great voicemails from Tim, highlighting Darcy’s awesome reviews here on the blog, and reinforcing my discussion on recycling and reusing stuff! Then Lizzie calls in to tell us about her babysitting gig and how the parents are cool Brits who let their kids watch old Dr. Who! Then Tim gets me going again on role-playing online, so I gush about DDO again. Finally, I pipe up about our love of Steam for downloading PC games, and Wyatt calls in about GameStop for console games. I hope you guys love the mailbag stuff! I’ll be back next week with another topic after my week at my folks’ home down on the farm.

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: The Jesus Geeks (Now Twisted Geeks!)and What The Cast

HTGYG Show #76: What can we do about the Gulf Oil Spill?

susiethegeek — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:35:28 +0000

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This episode, I try to tackle the complicated subject of how to talk to our kids about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Doug from Alaska calls in at the beginning – I thought his voicemail spoke for itself. This subject is pretty hard, so I mostly discuss what we can do to help our kids learn how not to make the same mistakes in the future. Please let me know your comments and suggestions!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: Dragon Page Cover-to-Cover and The Chronic Rift

HTGYG Show #74: Soapy Goodness!

susiethegeek — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 16:23:32 +0000

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In this episode, we tell you our soap-making adventure, inspired by Geeky Clean, and recommend this as a great easy craft! Here are some pictures of our starting kit and our lovely results! The kids had a blast, and can’t wait to do it again!

Next, we have a voicemail from Mark with the Tickle Me Plant Company, presenting his great product for kids and plant lovers of all ages. I am familiar with these plants, and think that they are very cool and interesting, especially for kids! Then, Doug from Alaska calls in to tell us what he thinks kids are good for, and I agree!

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek – at-gmail -dot-com, or call my voicemail number at 206-202-7309 and leave your thoughts. You can also visit our forum at the Farpoint Forums. And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: Dragon Page Cover to Cover and Podculture

HTGYG Show #73: Voicemails – Gardening, Girl Genius and Jacques Cousteau

susiethegeek — Fri, 28 May 2010 20:17:55 +0000

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Hi everyone! This time, I have a whole lot of great voicemails from Gary and Tim about a lot of recent topics. Gary tells us about his gardening experience with his kids, bemoans the popularity of SillyBands, and calls me out on using the kids as an excuse to collect American Girls stuff and Galactic Heroes figures. Then I compliment Darcy on the great batch of stuff she sent the kids for Amanda’s birthday, and let her know I swiped the Girl Genius comic (It won a HUGO!).

After that, Tim discusses what kids are really good for, and thanks Darcy for reminding him of his and Jenny’s first wedding anniversary (Congrats to you!). After I wistfully discuss the oil drilling disaster in the gulf, Tim lets us know of a great opportunity to catch Jacques Cousteau’s great documentary on the oceans, “Under the Sea,” on June 11.

Call or email me if you have any opinion on which video game franchises you think need a break, or just need to die. Wyatt has a rant on this subject that I am going to do a special episode on soon, and we would love your opinions!

Don’t forget – you have until June 1 to nominate your favorite podcasts for a Parsec Award! I’m not eligible, so I’m not asking for me – I’m asking for all those other great shows that you listen to and love!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: MilkCartonTV and The Parsec Awards

HTGYG Show #72: What Are Kids Good For, Anyway?

susiethegeek — Fri, 14 May 2010 21:58:54 +0000

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So, what are kids good for, anyway? This week, I attempt to answer that question in snarky, serious, and funny ways. It is getting a little hectic around here with the end of the school year, so I am both venting a little and reminding us all that kids are really great. Gary helps with several voicemails adding what he thinks as well. Then Wyatt has a little rant of his own, discussing the less-than-good quality of most little kid games and movie-tie-in games.

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: The Parsec Awards and What The Cast?

HTGYG Show #70: Nova, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and The Pluto Files

susiethegeek — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:24:52 +0000

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In this episode, I review the classic PBS series “Nova,” and discuss some of my favorite episodes, which leads me to talk about GalaxyZoo, the Astronomy Cast, the 365 Days of Astronomy and Pluto. Which then leads me to discuss the book “The Pluto Files” by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and the Nova episode based on it. Also, you can follow Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Pamela Gay and Mike Brown on Twitter!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: The Parsec Awards and Podculture

HTGYG Show #65: Percy Jackson, Ear Piercing and Old-School Games – Voicemail!

susiethegeek — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:59:24 +0000

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This week, we catch up on all of your voicemail comments! We have a comment on the Percy Jackson books and movie, a new podcaster friend, a question about ear-piercing for Gary’s daughter, and Wyatt goes old-school while he can’t get on XBox Live!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: The Signal Podcast

HTGYG Show #64: Part 2 of “The Lightening Thief” – the Movie Review (Spoilers!)

susiethegeek — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:05:44 +0000

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Spoiler Alert!

This episode, we focus first on the movie of the first book in the Percy Jackson series,Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief, by Rick Riordan. Amanda helps me review the movie just released, and we go over the similarities and differences from the book version. Then Gary calls in with a great overall review of the movie’s watchability and general quality as a movie itself. Thanks Gary! We think that this movie is definitely watchable for kids, and the books are a must-get!

Don’t forget – Feb. 27 is The BOOM EFFECT Auction! For details visit the website here! Come with your heart and wallet open!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: The Boom Effect Auction and The Chronic Rift

Darcy’s post – Facebook, decisions and parents.

susiethegeek — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:24:43 +0000

Hi Guys,
As some of you already know, I no longer have a Facebook page. It wasn’t them, it was something Dad and Jenny decided was best for me. So i wanted to talk about that and parents in general. Because I think it’s important and maybe help my younger followers.

First off, let me say Facebook was cool and fun. But there were things going on I didn’t know about until later. See, once you put yourself out on the internet, and you’re young like us. It’s going attract bad people and creeps. I was totally locked down, only people I added was people we know. And dad says I still got like six or seven people trying to follow me that he said looked very scary. (That was weekly.)

So when they disabled it, it was because they were doing a random age check, to see how old I am and asking a lot of questions. They were super nice, but the more information they wanted, the more dad and Jenny was like this is not a good idea.(She never liked me to have one, now I understand more why.) So they sat me down and explained things to me and why they felt it was a good idea for me to not have one any longer. At first I admit, I wanted to fight back and say I want to keep it. I mean I gave up the forums, now this? But I am always thinking of you guys, so I agreed it was best I just have Twitter and my journal. People still try to follow me on twitter, but only been two so far.

Susie called me a role model. I still don’t feel like I am, I am always just me and do what I feel is good and right and what dad and Jenny say of course. But I can’t just think of myself if I am a role model, I have to think of others. I want you guys to have fun, but I want you guys to be safe too.

So I hope I can give you some tips on the internet and also talk about not getting everything you might want and why that’s a good thing.

First off, our parents have the hardest job ever. I mean think about it for a second. No one knows how to raise us kids, I mean there is just no manual, no one person that has all the answers, no web site to go to. When Dad first adopted me he sat me down and said, I have no idea what I am doing. I never raised a kid before, so you are going to have to help me out here. Don’t be afraid to come to me with anything and never be afraid to tell me anything. Together we can make this work. And know what? We have been doing that ever since. Now Jenny is the same way, she never had kids before. All she ever had was a sister. So she has a different approach with me. We are like sister’s sorta, but she can punish me and yell if needed so she’s still the mom. So I guess parenting is really a lot of guess work. That’s what Grandpa tells me, you fall back on how you were raised by your parents, and you try things to see what works.

So we have to help them out by obeying them and trying to be good. Not always easy, but that’s growing up. Everyone makes mistakes, they did; so we will too. And surprise, parents know that. Sometimes they even tell you they made the same mistakes.

Okay getting back to the facebook thing. I love the internet, I use it a lot for research on books and movies and in school. I love to look stuff up. I also like to play games on popcap, play Champions on Line and send emails. The internet is huge and fun. But because it is huge, it comes with a lot of danger as well. As you already read above. And I got a email from a adult that said they got people trying to follow them that scares them as well.

So bottom line? Even if your friends at school has it, or your best friends? I’d say stay away from it. Just because something looks cool and shiny, doesn’t make it so. Just too many weirdos out there. I don’t want to scare you guys, but maybe I do a bit too. I want to be honest most of all.

If you get on the internet, ALWAYS have a adult or parent around. And if anything makes you feel bad or uncomfortable let them know! RIGHT THEN.

And listen, if you have friends you just GOT to talk to; call them up or go visit. If they live somewhere else, email. (I email a lot!)

Our parents have a hard job, and they might tell us no or make us do stuff we don’t like. But they do it all because they love us and want us safe.

Love you guys, I’ll do my best to be a good role model for ya.

Darcy

HTGYG Show #61: Helping Captain Oblivious and others!

susiethegeek — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:29:37 +0000

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This week I discuss some attention issues we are having with my son Kevin (we call him Captain Oblivious) at school, in the hopes it might help some of you. I’d love to hear your suggestions and comments! I also encourage you all to visit The Boom Effect auction to help Tee Morris and his daughter, and the Elf Princess Defense Fund to help SVAllie and her daughter with their custody battle bills! We are all family, and if we don’t stick together, who will?
Thanks!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: The Dollhouse Podcast and What the Cast?

Check out the Boom Effect Auction, including some crafts from me!

susiethegeek — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:38:12 +0000

Hi gang! In case you hadn’t heard, Philippa Ballantine and friends have set up an auction for Tee and Serena “Sonic Boom” Morris, to raise money for SB’s trust fund. Please check out the auction, called The Boom Effect, which will take place live on Feb. 27 online, or you can send a proxy bid.

I sent in two handmade glass bead necklace and earring sets – you can see them below. Please consider bidding on these or any other items you like on the site!

Thanks,

Susie

Green Goddess Necklace and Earrings Set

Heart of Gold Necklace and Earrings Set

HTGYG Show #60: Part 2 of our 365 Days of Astronomy Podcasts

susiethegeek — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:08:24 +0000

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In honor of the successful completion of the first year of the 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast, and of my daughter’s inclusion in the highlight podcast, I wanted to send out the episodes we did for you. Here last two episodes we made for them, one about Helium and the Sun, and the other about the Kuiper Belt, and Kevin even makes an appearance in the last one! I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed making them for you!

If you would like to help with the relief activities for the people of Haiti, you can donate to the Red Cross or Doctors without Borders, who are both leading the efforts to help the victims on the ground in Haiti. I personally recommend these organization and support their work!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promos: The Dollhouse Podcast and Technorama

HTGYG Show #59:Helping Tee and Serena!

susiethegeek — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:00:47 +0000

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This episode is about appreciating family – our own, our podcasting family, our social media family- and how we can help a family in need. Tee Morris, one of the first and most inspiring podcasters out there, recently lost his wife Natalie. He and his daughter Serena are now facing a future without Natalie, and we are asking you to help. Please check out the ChipIn link to donate to Serena’s trust fund, and check out The Boom Effect to find out how you can help an auction that will also go to Serena’s trust fund. Thanks!

I end this podcast with the poem “The Tale of Custard the Dragon” by Ogden Nash. I originally recorded this for a friend for Christmas, but I thought it would be a nice poem for Serena if she gets to listen to it!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: Tuning in to SciFi TV

HTGYG Show #58: Part 1 of our 365 Days of Astronomy Podcasts

susiethegeek — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:28:01 +0000

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In honor of the successful completion of the first year of the 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast, and of my daughter’s inclusion in the highlight podcast, I wanted to send out the episodes we did for you. Here are the first two episodes we did, and I’ll send out the next two soon. I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed making them for you!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Check out this article about the International Year of Astronomy!

Children Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy!